Chapter 405: The Scandal Uncovered

Chapter 405: The Scandal Uncovered

Tong Nanxia uttered these words with the utmost seriousness.

For years, she had been reflecting on those events.

Back then, she was very meek, always accepting others' words without daring to argue.

Only Lu Lingyun had once seriously asked her if she was the one who did it.

Afterwards, she thought about it repeatedly and deeply.

The more she thought, the clearer it became—it definitely wasn’t her who pushed.

Now, she had it all figured out—not only did she not push, but Qin Shaojing had actually tried to push her!

She wanted to drag her down with her, but Tong Nanxia had managed to avoid it!

Hearing Tong Nanxia's words, Cheng Qi was momentarily stunned.

"General Cheng, I swear on my life that I’m not lying to you. Back then, Qin Shaojing tried to push me, but I dodged it, and she ended up falling into the water. She deceived all of us," Tong Nanxia said solemnly, word by word.

After hearing this, Cheng Qi stood still for a long moment. Finally, he frowned, turned around, and left with only one sentence, "What’s done is done."

Seeing this, Tong Nanxia grew anxious. She hurriedly stepped forward, "General Cheng, Qin Shaojing has deceived you. She’s a liar! She’s hidden many things from you. Don’t let her fool you anymore!"

At this moment, a cold snort came from behind her, "I knew Lu Lingyun was up to no good. So, she sent her cousin to flirt with my fiancé!"

Qin Shaojing arrived with Nanny Qin.

When she arrived at Ningxin Courtyard, Qin Shaojing sensed that Lu Lingyun was up to something. She thought it over, turned back, found Cheng Qi, and took him to see Lady Qin.

Sure enough, she arrived just in time to hear Tong Nanxia saying these things.

She stepped forward with a mocking look, "Madam Tong, you climbed into Duke Zhao’s family by stepping on me back then, and now you still want to slander me. You sisters are really scheming!"

"I didn’t, I just..."

"Just what! A man and a woman meeting alone here? Madam Tong, don’t forget you’re a married woman! If Young Master Zhao finds out you secretly met my fiancé, what do you think he’d say?"

Hearing this, Tong Nanxia fell silent, her face filled with hurt and restraint.

Seeing this, Cheng Qi said, "Shaojing, you can’t talk to Madam Tong like that. She has always been a kind and good girl."

"Oh! Still a kind and good girl? Everyone, listen up—my fiancé is praising the young mistress of Duke Zhao’s family!" Qin Shaojing immediately spoke sarcastically.

Hearing this, Cheng Qi's face couldn’t hold up anymore, "Shaojing."

"Then tell me, what did she just say to you!" Qin Shaojing demanded forcefully.

Cheng Qi glanced at Tong Nanxia and finally said, "She didn’t say anything."

Qin Shaojing sneered, "Really?"

Cheng Qi took a deep breath and looked at Qin Shaojing in front of Tong Nanxia, "Shaojing, no matter what she says, it won’t change your position in my heart. I will never do anything to betray you."

He spoke these words with solemnity and deep emotion, making even the quarrelsome Qin Shaojing's heart skip a beat.

Yes, no matter what, Cheng Qi is hopelessly infatuated with her.

As long as he’s still crazy about her, all that gossip is nothing.

No matter how much they stir the pot, no one can shake her place in Cheng Qi’s heart!

She couldn’t help but let out a proud little hum. “Let’s leave it here for now. Let’s go see my aunt.”

“Alright.” Cheng Qi had already put his sister out of his mind and followed Qin Shaojing.

After they left, Tong Nanxia watched Cheng Qi’s retreating figure and sighed deeply.

Her heart was filled with nothing but regret and disappointment.

If only that kind of love were for her...

What a shame, what a shame...

Qin Shaojing stepped out of Ningxin Courtyard, her face glowing.

Lu Lingyun was out of moves, and Lady Qin was as clueless as ever, letting Qin Shaojing manipulate her completely!

She’d already gotten Lady Qin’s approval, and tomorrow, she would be entering the palace to request the title.

What thrilled her even more was that Lu Lingyun didn’t interfere this time!

She was well aware of everything happening in Ningxin Courtyard, yet even after Lady Qin happily agreed and even drafted the adoption document today, Lu Lingyun never showed up.

Looks like she’s given up on this!

Qin Shaojing snatched up the adoption document and personally delivered it to the Imperial Clan Court for witnessing. Once the document was sent, Lady Qin could request the title for Cheng Qi as soon as tomorrow!

With this document, Cheng Qi was officially part of the Cheng family, and no matter what schemes Lu Lingyun tried to pull, it would be useless!

Qin Shaojing, brimming with pride, tucked the document into her sleeve and walked out of the mansion arm in arm with Cheng Qi.

As they walked through the garden, she spotted Li Bihan again.

Li Bihan stood in a corner of the garden and eagerly stepped forward to greet Qin Shaojing as she passed.

“Cousin, good day! Tong Er Ye, good day!”

“Concubine Li!” Qin Shaojing, in an unusually good mood, found Li Bihan quite charming, especially after recalling what she had done before. “Tong Er Ye has already been adopted by my aunt as her second son, and the document has been drafted. You’re a smart one, and I like you. When I move into the Marquis’s Mansion, you’ll serve by my side.”

Hearing this, Li Bihan’s eyes lit up with barely hidden excitement.

Cheng Qi had already been adopted as the second son! The document was being sent today!

She had heard about what Qin Shaojing was doing. If Cheng Qi inherited the title, he would become the true master of the Marquis’s Mansion in the future!

And once Qin Shaojing married him, she would be the new lady of the house!

What did Lu Lingyun even matter now!

“Thank you, Cousin. It’s an honor to serve you!” she congratulated repeatedly.

Qin Shaojing gave her a glance, said nothing, and basked in the flattery as she walked off arm in arm with Cheng Qi.

After they left, Li Bihan’s eyes still lingered on them.

She felt like her luck had finally turned around.

As she turned around, she immediately saw two people.

"Aunt Li, what are you doing?"

"You seem so happy, did something good happen?"

Qiu Ling and Ling Long stared straight at her.

When Li Bihan saw them, she felt a pang of guilt at first, but then she straightened her neck and said, "Aunt Qiu, Aunt Ling, I advise you both to quickly find new masters. You’ve heard it too, Second Master is about to take over the Marquis's Mansion. The true lady of the house here will no longer be her."

Upon hearing this, Qiu Ling and Ling Long were filled with anger. Seeing Li Bihan's smug look of someone about to rise, they exchanged glances and said, "Ha! You know Second Master hasn’t taken over yet. Right now, the Marquis's Mansion is still the young mistress's domain! We manage the household for the young mistress, and what we say goes!"

After saying this, they grabbed Li Bihan and took her to Qiu Xiang Garden to deal with her.

"You’re both utterly foolish... Ouch! You’ll regret this!"

"You’re the one who’ll regret it!"

Li Bihan spat out harsh words, biding her time to rise and exact her revenge!

Meanwhile, Qin Shaojing accompanied Cheng Qi to the Imperial Clan Court to submit the adoption papers. As Cheng Qi stepped inside, Qin Shaojing, standing outside, felt her vision brighten.

Inside, the official handling the documents looked at Cheng Qi with a complex expression and said, "I heard General Cheng plans to marry the former Lady Qin of Duke Liu’s household?"

"Yes."

"If you marry her, this adoption might not go through!"

"Why?" Cheng Qi was puzzled.

The official gave him a meaningful smile and said, "General Cheng, haven’t you heard? Lady Qin’s affair with Duke Liu’s second lord is now the talk of the Imperial City! Not only is your adoption in jeopardy, but Duke Liu’s title is also at risk!"